The first day of school at the Housatonic Valley Waldorf School marked the 19th Rose ceremony hosted by the school. The Rose Ceremony, a tradition at Waldorf Schools world-wide, welcomes the new first graders into the grade school. The lead class act as mentors to the first grade and presents their "buddy" with a rose on the first day of school.

When all 15 new first graders received their rose Ms. Deborah Lederman, who will teach this class through eighth grade, told them the first story they heard as grade school students. The transition from kindergarten to first grade is an important milestone marking the beginning of formal education.